Back Country Bar-B-Q

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From behind the cutting block, Pitmaster Earnest Griffith Sr. greets customers as they come through the door. Ask him for “top cut” brisket if you want it from the fatty end. I like the edges with plenty of bark, so I just ask for burnt ends and he knows what to provide. Request lean brisket at your own peril. It comes fat free and relies on the deep red sauce, an excellent homemade recipe, for moisture.

Those chunks of fatty brisket are smoky and just tender enough, but the brisket here is best enjoyed on a sandwich. A two-meat po-boy with two sides is under $12, and that chopped beef goes well with the sliced sausage from Rudolph’s Market in Dallas. A generous toppings bar with chopped and sliced onion, dill pickle spears and slices, and three kinds of hot peppers lets you do more customization than at most barbecue joints.